Boys of the Desert
by Jack Cross
Summary: When Michael Dewy is sent to Camp Green Lake, he vows that not even the desert will be able to keep him here. Now with D Tent, he will conduct a daring and risky escape from the camp. But the Warden wont let them get out alive easily. after all, its over a hundred miles to the nearest source of water...or is it?
1. Arrival

**Holes belongs to the writer and Walt Disney, i own nothing. **

**A/N: This is based on the movie and not the book, please review and let me know what you think.  
**

The bus bounced and chains jangled as it made its way up the broken road toward Camp Green Lake. The driver watched the road ahead of them while the guard stared at the single prisoner they were transporting. But the prisoner himself was starring out into the waists of the desert, spotting an image in the shimmering air every once in a while.

He wore a red pearl snap shirt, blue jeans, work boots, and a blue Highway Patrolman's hat. His wrists were handcuffed and linked by a chain to the shackles around his ankles. No hair could be seen poking out from under his hat, and sweat rolled down his sun-tanned face. The only thing he seamed to do was look out the bus window, not looking at the guard or the driver.

Passing through endless rows of holes on both sides of the beaten road, the bus slowed before passing under a sigh and into the Camp. The prisoner studied the various teens in orange jump suits as the bus came to a halt. Standing, the guard came back and grabbed the prisoner by his left wrist before haling him to his feet and escorting him off the bus.

He ignored the stares from the other teens and the few shouts of "fresh meat" that came across the yard. The Guard led him up a few set of worn stairs and into what looked to have been at one point a post office. A large man wearing a cowboy hat and spitting sunflower seeds into a cup stood waiting with a clipboard.

"Well, what do we have here?" the man asked as he looked between the prisoner and the guard.

"Just making another delivery," the guard replied, glancing at the teen through his sunglasses. The man chuckled before he spat some more shells into the cup.

"Take those things off," he said, motioning at the shackles and cuffs before turning around and opening a refrigerator.

"You sure? This one has a little more…bite then the others," said the guard. The man turned around with a frosty bottle of Coke, holding it out for the guard to take.

"Don't worry 'bout that, Camp Green Lake always takes away their bite," he replied. The guard pulled out a key and set to undoing the teen's binds before taking the drink that was offered to him.

"Now then, I'm Mr. Sir. Strip out of those clothes and put this on," said Mr. Sir as he threw the teen an orange jumpsuit. The guard grinned before thanking Mr. Sir and disappearing outside. The teen stripped down and put the orange jumpsuit on as instructed, but left on his hat.

Kneeling down, he began to lace up the new work boots that had been handed to him. While he was down, he took a moment to size up Mr. Sir. The main thing that caught his eye was the revolver in the holster on his hip. He quickly memorized what caliber it was and if there was any sort of customization on it.

"You won't be needing that," said Mr. Sir as he snatched the hat off of his head, reviling the short brown hair underneath. He was instantly on his feet, ready to plow Mr. Sir through the wall.

"Michael Dewy!" came a cheerful shout from behind him. Michael whirled around and found himself face to face with a short man in a tee shirt, shorts, sunhat, and white sunscreen on his nose. He held a clipboard and was looking at him with a toothy smile.

"I'm Doctor Pendanski, the camp courser. I just want you to know that you may have done some bad things, but that does not make you a bad person. I respect you Michael," he said, placing his hand on Michael's shoulder. He saw right through the act however, and made a mental note to break this guy's jaw before he left the Camp.

"If your going to start that lovey dovey crap, I'm out of here," said Mr. Sir as he tossed Michael's hat into a corner and hurried out. Michael sent death glares after the man before returning his attention to the Doctor.

"Now Michael, do you have any questions before we start the tour?" asked Pendanski. Michael looked around the room a bit more.

"Where do I sleep, when do I get my hat back, and where the hell is your lake?" he asked.

"I'll show you your tent when we're on the tour, the hat you'll have to put a request in for, and you crossed the lake when you came here. Now then, lets get started with the tour," replied the doctor before turning and walking out into the sun blasting heat.

Michael put his hand over his eyes, blocking out the sun so he could look across the camp better. He knew that the others were sizing him up, as was to be expected. After all, this wasn't his first time in a correctional facility. He followed Pendanski around, barely listening to what was being said as they walked. It wasn't until a plastic jug was forced into his hands that he actually did start to pay attention. Eight other teens sat in front of a tent with the letter D carved into a wooden plank above the flap.

"And this is your tent," said Pendanski, waving his arm out in a slight bowing motion.

"Yo Mom, who's this?" asked a darker teen with large glasses on his face, possibly the leader.

"Boys, this is your new roommate Michael. Michael, this is Rickey, Rex, Theodore, Stanley, Alan, Jose, Brian, and Zero," said the doctor, introducing them. Almost all the guys piped up, complaining that he wasn't using their nicknames. But Pendanski ignored this and officially made Michael D Tent's problem by walking away.

Michael took a moment to study each one of them. Brian twitched like he was a bug stuck to a thumbtack, which annoyed him slightly. Standing slowly, X Ray looked him over and approached him slowly.

"So you going to come inside or just stand there?" he asked. Michael stuck out his hand, motioning for him to lead the way. X Ray turned and walked into the tent, followed by Michael and the others. He led the way down the line of bunks and pointed to the one at the very end, indicating that this was his bunk.

"What you in for man?" asked Magnet as Michael looked over his bunk before laying down on it.

"Stuff," came the reply.

"What? You steal some old ladies' cat or something?" asked Armpit, earning a laugh out of almost everyone.

"No, but it was enough to land me in juvie until I'm eighteen, then I'm off to a regular jail," said Michael as he looked up at the tent ceiling. Silence enveloped the tent as the others looked at each other nervously. The most they had gotten was eighteen months here at Camp Green Lake; even Twitch who had been charged with grand theft auto. But none of them had been charged with something that serious.

Michael knew why he had been sent here. It was to break him, to keep him from acting out of line. Even if he escaped, it would only be exactly what the judge wanted, that the desert would kill him and never let him be in the system again. Ignoring the whispers coming from the other end of the tent, he rolled onto his side and looked out the tent, vowing that this camp wouldn't break him and the desert wouldn't kill him.


	2. The New Guy

**As always, please review and let me know what you think. **

The recording of a bugle blared through the camp, causing Michael to groan woke up. He swung his legs over the side of his cot before he set to lacing up his boots. Standing, he brought the rest of his jumpsuit up and over his upper body before he walked outside of the tent with the rest of his group.

"Not use to being up this early?" asked Stanley as they began to walk toward the shed with the shovels. Michael responded by letting out a growl like yawn while stretching his arms outward. Stanley proceeded to move away from him and began to talk to Zero, sending a small glance toward Michael.

"It's a new day boys, get your grub and your gear then get to work!" shouted Mr. Sir as the shed containing shovels was opened. Torteas were laid out for breakfast, which several campers grabbed on their way out. Michael walked forward and grabbed a shovel before he made his way over to the line for the food.

"I forgot to give you this yesterday," said Pendenski as he handed him a plastic jug filled with water. A worn rope hung on its neck as a means of a strap. Michael took it and put it over his shoulder before he began to walk with the rest of his tent group.

The sun was starting to rise over the mountains ahead of them as D Tent made their way out onto the lakebed. Each one of the members of the tent took up a spot and began to dig. Minutes blurred into hours as they dug. By the time the first water truck arrived, Michael's hole was already three feet deep.

"Got any blisters on you Dewy?" asked Mr. Sir as they fell into line. Michael looked at his hands, but only noticed a few old scars and calluses.

"No," he replied, not caring that every eye in the water line had turned to look at him. The line continued on in silence until he reached the front. He looked out over the desert with a keen eye, studying the mountains.

"Thinking about running Dewy? I guarantee you wont get halfway to those mountains before the buzzards pick you clean," said Mr. Sir when he noticed this. Michael didn't say anything, but rather just continued to look at the mountains. He took his canteen when Mr. Sir handed back to him and walked away without a word.

The next two hours went by quickly, and soon Michael was walking back to camp with Zero. He ignored the comments said behind his back as he walked, stopping only once to spit in his hole and continue to walk. Rather then shower, he went straight to his bunk and began to catch up on sleep.

Several more hours passed before Stanley woke him for supper. Like a zombie, he walked with the others from the tent to the mess hall. Everything that was placed on his tray was a version of bean, except for the single white loaf of bread. Taking his food, Michael made his way over to the D Tent table and took a seat.

"Since this is your first day, you wouldn't mind if I take this would you," said X Ray as he snaked his hand toward Michael's bread. Quick as lightning, Michael slammed the teeth of his fork into the wood of the table, right in between X Ray's middle and ring finger.

The whole table fell silent as everyone looked between the two. After a few moments, Michael pried the fork from the wood and took a bite from the bread. X Ray slid his hand back from where it had been, but remained in stunned silence. No one had ever stood up to him like that before.

"Best not say anything about this, after all we got that meeting with Mom tonight," said Armpit, breaking the uneasy silence. Michael finished eating his bread before he stood.

"I'll be in my bunk," he said before left, as if daring any of them to follow. D Tent watched him go before they leaned in closer to each other.

"There's definitely something different about him, he ain't like the others who get sent here," said Zigzag.

"Didn't he say he was off to regular prison once he was done here?" asked Stanley. X Ray nodded, wagging his finger slightly at him.

"Caveman has a point, all of us got eighteen months, even Twitch, and he's in on Grand Theft," he said.

"So what did he do to get all that extra time?" asked Magnet. Everyone around the table remained silent in thought for a moment.

"Mom will probably talk about it tonight," said Zigzag. That night, Pendenski entered D Tent and formed all the boys into a circle. One by one, he asked each of the boys why they had been sent to Camp Green Lake. Finally, he reached Michael.

"What about you Michael? Why are you here?" he asked. The whole tent fell silent as all eyes turned to the newcomer. Slowly, he raised his head and looked Pendenski in the eye.

"Because the law fails to recognize it as self defense after six shots," he said coldly. The other boys looked at each other with eyebrows raised. It was the first time any of them had seen someone be sent there for murder. Pendenski looked over his chart.

"At least you're here now, able to begin you rehabilitation for the real world," he said. Michael chuckled slightly, causing all of them to look at him strangely. It was the first time any of them had heard him make any other noise beside talking and grunting.

"I'm not here for rehabilitation, I'm here because this was the only place they could find that they were sure I couldn't escape from. Every juvenile detention center in the country to choose from and this is the only one with a desert around it," said Michael, motioning his hands around the tent. After a short moment, he focused on the councilor again.

"But I made a promise when I was sent here, and that's a promise I intend to keep," he said coldly before standing and returning to his bunk. The others looked at him strangely before Pendenski dismissed them to go to bed. As the councilor left the tent, Michael stood from his cot and went to the center of the tent. The others looked at him strangely, but listened, as he seemed to have something to say.

"Do you like digging holes all day in the desert sun?" he asked.

"No one likes digging holes all day," said Armpit. Michael looked around the tent, pausing long enough to look at each of his tent mates.

"Do you want air conditioning again? Ice water? Comfortable beds to sleep in?" he asked.

"Why are you asking us this man? No one can escape from this place without becoming buzzard food," said X Ray.

"No one on foot," countered Michael. Everyone's eyebrows went up at this.

"I am an expert in escaping, done it dozens of times. You help me, and I will make sure that you can have those things again," he said.


End file.
